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Onshore gas fears for farmers

There is strong community opposition in Gippsland to the potential for an onshore natural gas industry to develop in the region.

Jeremy Story Carter

Anger, concern and confusion were just some of the prominent emotions as eastern Victorian landholders and community members turned out in big numbers for a series of onshore natural gas consultation sessions.

The highly charged debate around the development of an onshore gas industry has been the subject of significant community angst in the state’s Gippsland region.

Independent consultation facilitator, Mick Maguire, says the sessions were a genuine attempt by government to harness the views and concerns of the community.

“This is the first time in 30 years of experience that I’ve been involved in a genuine consultation, where our task is to actually listen,” said Mr Maguire.

“Our opportunity is to talk to the community and ask what their views are and try to understand the drivers for those views.

“The government can then at least [be] informed about the likely community reaction to whatever decision they make.”

Cattle farmer in the south eastern coastal town of Seaspray, Greg Avery, said he was not convinced of the significance of the sessions.

“I don’t know whether it has already been decided that it is going to go ahead, and they are just letting us jump and down for a bit,” said Mr Avery.

“I’m just hoping they [recognise] the people that come to these meetings, [who] voice their concerns, because financially we are worried that it is going to affect our properties that we’ve worked for.”

Mr Maguire stressed the State Government had not reached a decision on whether to establish an onshore natural gas industry.

“This process differs because the government genuinely has made no decision about this industry,” he said.

“We do not have an onshore natural gas industry [in Victoria] at present.

“The government has implemented a moratorium on fracking and on further exploration until at least July 2015.”

Mr Maguire acknowledged that many attendees at the sessions did not necessarily trust the Victorian Government’s neutral stance on the issue.

“There’s definitely a level of mistrust, amongst communities that are normally quite trusting of government.

“That has been interesting and quite challenging,” said Mr Maguire.

“All I can do to reassure people is to say that our names are on this report [and] the independence factor relates to me and will impact my company, hence I implore the community to have trust in the protest.”

The concerns surrounding onshore natural gas extraction at the community sessions oscillated between potential environment, economic and even community impacts.

A lot of [our farms] are our superannuation so when we retire, we have to sell them, so we want to get what they are worth.

Seaspray cattle farmer, Greg Avery.

“They have fears about contaminating the water, general concerns for the environment, the impact on property values and they’re also talking about insurance companies not insuring their properties,” said Mr Maguire.

“One that has also come up is the issue of legacy.

“The community are telling me that if things were to go wrong, then you can’t go back, so what sort of future are we planning for our children?”

Seaspray farmer Greg Avery echoed these concerns, while also expressing fears over the impact of ongoing contract work effecting his farming operations.

“The prospect of not being able to farm freely, or gates being left open, biosecurity type matters – it only takes one person who is not au fait with farming to do the wrong thing and once that has happened, it is too late,” he said.

“A lot of [our farms] are our superannuation, so when we retire, we have to sell them, so we want to get what they are worth.”